http://www.gizmodo.co.uk Wed, 19 Jun 2013 20:00:59 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/06/ice-sheets-were-terrifying-thick-20000-years-ago/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/06/ice-sheets-were-terrifying-thick-20000-years-ago/#comments Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:30:46 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=174130 Since our planet was born, it’s gone through periods of extreme cold known as ice ages—but you might not realise just how of the cold stuff came with them. Spoiler: a lot. This neat visualisation by Randall Monroe of XKCD fame shows just how thick the ice sheets covering our planet were 20,000 years ago. [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/06/ice-sheets-were-terrifying-thick-20000-years-ago/feed/ 23 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/06/why-youtube-videos-get-stuck-at-301-views/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/06/why-youtube-videos-get-stuck-at-301-views/#comments Wed, 12 Jun 2013 12:15:36 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=173527 Spend much time on YouTube, and you’ll have no doubt seen videos get stuck at 301 views. But while you might think that’s some sort of software glitch, it could be something far, far more sinister. Just kidding. Of course it’s a software glitch. [XKCD]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/06/why-youtube-videos-get-stuck-at-301-views/feed/ 9 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/05/how-to-sound-just-the-right-kind-of-concerned-about-google-glass/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/05/how-to-sound-just-the-right-kind-of-concerned-about-google-glass/#comments Wed, 22 May 2013 15:30:18 +0000 Brian Barrett http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=167997 Kicking and screaming will the late adopters be dragged into the future. But if you want to stoke their deepest fears just the right amount, let xkcd be your troll-guide: Maybe before we rush to adopt <Google Glass> we should stop to consider the consequences of blithely giving this technology such a central position in [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/05/how-to-sound-just-the-right-kind-of-concerned-about-google-glass/feed/ 12 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/05/how-memes-would-have-spread-across-the-universe/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/05/how-memes-would-have-spread-across-the-universe/#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 11:30:00 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=165942 Information can only travel so fast—but even if it can travel at the speed of light, there would be a natural delay before memes could traverse the entire universe. So where across our neighbouring star systems might some of our favourite pop culture references have ended up by now? Fortunately, that’s exactly what today’s XKCD [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/05/how-memes-would-have-spread-across-the-universe/feed/ 2 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/05/no-youre-not-random/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/05/no-youre-not-random/#comments Fri, 10 May 2013 11:30:20 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=164724 Because actually, being genuinely random is incredibly difficult. You’re just talking crap, instead. [XKCD]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/05/no-youre-not-random/feed/ 6 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/04/how-long-should-you-spend-on-making-tasks-more-efficient-2/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/04/how-long-should-you-spend-on-making-tasks-more-efficient-2/#comments Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:00:58 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=161715 These days everyone wants you to hack your life in order to make your day-to-day existence more efficient. But there are times when the effort’s not really worth it — and this chart should help you work out what to spend time on, and what to ignore. Put together by XKCD’s Randall Munroe, this chart [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/04/how-long-should-you-spend-on-making-tasks-more-efficient-2/feed/ 1 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/03/people-who-rescale-videos-without-thinking-need-to-be-punished/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/03/people-who-rescale-videos-without-thinking-need-to-be-punished/#comments Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:15:53 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=151162 And, as Randall Munroe points out in today’s XKCD, this is how to do it. Maybe then they’ll understand why preserving aspect ratios is important. [XKCD]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/03/people-who-rescale-videos-without-thinking-need-to-be-punished/feed/ 18 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/03/if-youre-blaming-computer-problems-on-a-virus-youre-probably-wrong/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/03/if-youre-blaming-computer-problems-on-a-virus-youre-probably-wrong/#comments Fri, 01 Mar 2013 14:00:07 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=146985 Next time a computer in your office is broken, chances are someone will blame it on a virus. But let’s face it, most computer problems don’t stem from viruses; they stem from dumb people. Of course, it’s easier to blame something than it is to understand a problem. That’s natural; we all look for scapegoats [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/03/if-youre-blaming-computer-problems-on-a-virus-youre-probably-wrong/feed/ 14 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/02/no-i-dont-want-to-download-the-terrible-app-version-of-your-website/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/02/no-i-dont-want-to-download-the-terrible-app-version-of-your-website/#comments Fri, 15 Feb 2013 12:30:48 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=143355 Every single time I visit some low-rent website which gives the option of downloading an ill-considered, poorly-designed, incomplete, app-based version of itself, a small part of me dies. Maybe that means one day I’ll crumble. Like Randall Munroe explains in the alt text of today’s XKCD: If I click ‘no’, I’ve probably given up on [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/02/no-i-dont-want-to-download-the-terrible-app-version-of-your-website/feed/ 20 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/02/doping-regulations-are-a-matter-of-scientific-perspective/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/02/doping-regulations-are-a-matter-of-scientific-perspective/#comments Wed, 13 Feb 2013 18:30:13 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=142830 A lot of people get very upset about doping in sport. They may well have a point — but maybe a little scientific perspective is required. Randal Monroe puts the issue well in the alt text of today’s XKCD cartoon: “A human is a system for converting dust billions of years ago into dust billions [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/02/doping-regulations-are-a-matter-of-scientific-perspective/feed/ 8 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/02/every-update-ruins-someones-life/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/02/every-update-ruins-someones-life/#comments Mon, 11 Feb 2013 14:00:26 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=142094 With every groundbreaking update or fix that a company rolls out, someone’s life crumbles just a little. Whether it’s a little software tweak in an OS update or a subtle change to hardware on a new model, companies like Apple and Microsoft are always trying to iron out the kinks. Which, for most of us, [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/02/every-update-ruins-someones-life/feed/ 2 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/01/there-are-some-battles-bezos-cant-win/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/01/there-are-some-battles-bezos-cant-win/#comments Fri, 25 Jan 2013 13:45:22 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=138262 Today’s XKCD puts the success of Amazon.com into some perspective. Because I can’t do any better than Randall Monroe’s hilarious alt text: “Amazon.com took a surprise early lead with ‘Time required to transport a package from Iquitos, Peru to Manaus, Brazil’ but then lost it at ‘Minutes to skeletonize a cow’.” Time to pick up [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/01/there-are-some-battles-bezos-cant-win/feed/ 15 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/01/sometimes-numbers-arent-as-convincing-as-youd-like/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/01/sometimes-numbers-arent-as-convincing-as-youd-like/#comments Wed, 16 Jan 2013 18:00:43 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=135726 Turns out that a very small percentage of a very, very large number is still significant. Your hand sanitiser is only as good as the number of decimal points the nines stretch to. [XKCD]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/01/sometimes-numbers-arent-as-convincing-as-youd-like/feed/ 3 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/01/the-simplest-turn-by-turn-navigation-system-ever/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/01/the-simplest-turn-by-turn-navigation-system-ever/#comments Wed, 02 Jan 2013 10:00:13 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=131294 There’s plenty wrong with turn-by-turn navigation, so here’s a completely different solution: boil the route down into the most simple set of rules possible, and leave the user to it. There are plenty of systems that can be described far more simply than they initially appear — and directions are one of them. So instead of [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/01/the-simplest-turn-by-turn-navigation-system-ever/feed/ 3 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/12/sometimes-honesty-isnt-the-best-policy/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/12/sometimes-honesty-isnt-the-best-policy/#comments Wed, 12 Dec 2012 12:45:24 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=127574 Your mum brought you up to believe honesty is always the best policy. That’s because she’s a good woman. But sometimes — just sometimes — honesty is a terrifying glimpse into your crazy little brain. The world is a complex and confusing place, and that’s before you start thinking about what else exists in the [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/12/sometimes-honesty-isnt-the-best-policy/feed/ 5 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/12/why-is-the-sky-blue-isnt-the-right-question/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/12/why-is-the-sky-blue-isnt-the-right-question/#comments Mon, 10 Dec 2012 18:00:35 +0000 Brian Barrett http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=126884 Sure, you know why the sky is blue. You’re a learned man and/or woman of learning; you know your way around Wikipedia. But hey, sorry buddy. That’s still amateur hour. The question you should have been asking all along: 18Why isn’t the sky violet? Actually, on second thought, pretty sure Wikipedia’s going to have an [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/12/why-is-the-sky-blue-isnt-the-right-question/feed/ 5 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/12/how-to-annoy-a-web-developer/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/12/how-to-annoy-a-web-developer/#comments Fri, 07 Dec 2012 16:30:18 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=126217 Sometimes there’s nothing better than a gratuitously geeky joke to raise a smile. Today’s XKCD certainly provides just that. As if the set-up, above, wasn’t funny enough, the punchline is hidden in XKCD’s al-text: <A>: Like </a>this.&nbsp; If that makes you laugh, great! If it riles you, sorry! And if you don’t get it, learn [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/12/how-to-annoy-a-web-developer/feed/ 16 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/12/reason-for-bad-signal-37-youre-in-a-faraday-cage-fight/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/12/reason-for-bad-signal-37-youre-in-a-faraday-cage-fight/#comments Mon, 03 Dec 2012 10:30:35 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=124880 Dammit, it’s hard to get a decent mobile data connection sometimes. Are the walls thick in your building? Are you surrounded by exotic electrical equipment that’s causing interference? Or did you just stumble into a cage fight by accident? Clearly the organiser doesn’t want you Googling tactics during the fight, anyway. Maybe just throw the [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/12/reason-for-bad-signal-37-youre-in-a-faraday-cage-fight/feed/ 4 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/11/how-important-each-day-of-the-year-is-visualised/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/11/how-important-each-day-of-the-year-is-visualised/#comments Wed, 28 Nov 2012 23:30:17 +0000 Brian Barrett http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=123985 Holidays. Paydays. Your birthday. They’re all important in their own special ways. But which day of the year is the most important? This handy calendar visualization from xkcd reveals all. The rankings are based on Google NGrams searches, which tell you how often given words or phrases are used in English-language books over a set [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/11/how-important-each-day-of-the-year-is-visualised/feed/ 5 http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/11/describing-saturn-5-in-simple-english-is-difficult-but-hilarious/ http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/11/describing-saturn-5-in-simple-english-is-difficult-but-hilarious/#comments Mon, 12 Nov 2012 15:00:25 +0000 Jamie Condliffe http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/?p=119507 Describing any form of technology in simple English can sometimes be tricky. But try describing a space craft, and suddenly things get much, much harder. Today’s XKCD attempts to describe the construction of Saturn 5 using only the thousand most commonly used words in the English language. Take a read by clicking on the image [...]]]> http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/11/describing-saturn-5-in-simple-english-is-difficult-but-hilarious/feed/ 6